Man loses part of leg during Calif. power plant implosion

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(CNN) – A man standing more than 1,000 feet away lost part of one leg when he was hit by debris from a power plant implosion early Saturday, police in Bakersfield, California, said.

Two other people injured by flying shrapnel were treated on the scene.

The scheduled implosion of the Kern Power Plant in Bakersfield occurred at 6 a.m. (9 a.m. ET).

The man with the most significant injuries was airlifted to Fresno to be treated, police Lt. Scott Tunnicliffe told CNN. One leg was partially amputated and the other was severely injured, Tunnicliffe said.

One of the injured spectators showed his injuries to a news crew from CNN affiliate KGET. The man’s right leg was bandaged just below the knee and around the ankle. He was treated by medical crews at the scene before going home.

Tunnicliffe told CNN a Bakersfield police officer was positioned to assist with crowd control and traffic for the implosion. There were three designated viewing areas. The injured were not inside those zones, but were at a distance that appeared to be safe, according to Tunnicliffe

Plant owner Pacific Gas & Electric said it was keeping the injured in its “thoughts and prayers.”

“Safety of the public and employees is our first priority at all times and we are deeply saddened that at least one individual suffered serious injuries,” it said in a statement. “We will work closely with all investigating agencies and the third-party contractors who managed and carried out the demolition as they work to identify the cause of this accident.